"England does "eccentric" better than any other country. From the upper class eccentrics like Edith Sitwell and the Marquis of Bath, through the middle classes by way of Vivian Stanshall and Jarvis Cocker, to the working class eccentricities of Billy Childish or Wilf Lunn, the one thing that they all have in common is their "Englishness".
They could have come from nowhere else. English Eccentrics have contributed hugely to global culture..." ...Dauvit Alexander
I've started something now, mes bloggy lovelies... Don't ask me how I got to this point, maybe it was Sandy Denny, and my sort of reclusive neighbour, John, but I am set on a course to tell you about some English Eccentrics who I find particularly interesting or intriguing.
I hope that is all right with you, mes bloggiest lovehearts, but as I seem to be a bit of a troubled eccentric meself, I just can't stop myself...
Stuff is going on outside in my life just now that no doubt I shall blog about later when I have it resolved, (if ever...), so being here is like a little hide-away for me, until I can see my way clear to stepping out into the light again - Chill-axe, it's nothing deadly, but relates to family fortunes, and so your very lovely wishes and awards and Memes are sitting in the wings, waiting for me to pick them up, answer them and dish them out once again...
For Wiki's sake, I feel like Norma Desmond! But here's A Blow for Isabella, instead... It's a trifle bizarre morceau de vie, and tres, tres triste, very sad, so do beware mes dahlinks!
Isabella Blow (19 November 1958 – 7 May 2007) was an English magazine editor and international style icon.
The muse of hat designer Philip Treacy, she is credited with discovering the models Stella Tennant and Sophie Dahl, as well as the fashion designer Alexander McQueen.
Blow often said her fondest memory was trying on her mother's pink hat, which led to her career in fashion.
In 1989, Blow married her second husband, art dealer Detmar Blow, in Gloucester Cathedral; he is a grandson (and namesake) of the early 20th-century society architect Detmar Blow.
Philip Treacy designed the bride's wedding headdress and a now-famous fashion relationship was forged. Realizing Treacy's talent, Blow established Treacy in her London flat, to work on his collections. She soon began wearing Treacy's hats, making them her signature. In a 2002 interview, Blow declared that she wore extravagant hats for a practical reason:
"...to keep everyone away from me. They say, Oh, can I kiss you? I say, No, thank you very much. That's why I've worn the hat. Goodbye. I don't want to be kissed by all and sundry. I want to be kissed by the people I love."
Blow had a natural sense of style and a feeling for future fashion directions. She discovered Alexander McQueen and purchased his entire graduate collection for ₤5,000, paying it off in weekly ₤100 instalments. Spotting Sophie Dahl, Blow described Dahl as "a blow up doll with brains", and launched the model's career.Blow was the fashion director of Tatler and consulted for DuPont, Lycra, Lacoste and Swarovski.
In 2002, she became the subject of an exhibition entitled When Philip met Isabella, featuring sketches and photographs of her wearing Treacy's hat designs.
Part Deux follows demain, je vous embrasse, mes dahlinks! Mwah! Fhina doesn't wear hats that often, although she once had a bizarre dream about ladies who lunch who were all wearing shoes as bizarre headgear - So this means she can get 'up close and very personal' with her amours, so here goes, Mwah! my pretties, Mwah!
23 comments:
O,Fhin, I love the one "do not kiss me hat":O)
Hopeyouare good,have a nice day dear,love SAndra
I love eccentric people. They are the most interesting people to know and to talk to. They might be difficult to live with, unless one is in an a complete awe of their talents and personality. Still, I am at all times drawn to people that are less than ordinary, while I try always very hard to be as ordinary as possible.;)
Lovely post as always, I did not know about Isabella Blow; she died way too young.
Those bloody hats get on my nerves.
Okay...........this explains Prince a little better to me, lol.
I love the one with the pup and the woman with the dour look on her face.
All will be well soon in your universe lovely girl and know that I am thinking of you :)
Take good care and.........
Steady On
Reggie Girl
Hello Fhina,
I know where Ms Blow was coming from. I hate being kissed by all and sundry too!!!
Ma chère FSI,
The wonderfully eccentric Ms Blow has always fascinated me. And yet she was so sad, so ill-equipped to survive in the life she loved to live but it is always better to live one day as a lion than one year as a lamb.
Bises tout plein.
Eccentric is a turn on.
"Eccentric is cool and endearing!! I think I am eccentric. I like it that way!!!
England does eccentricity best - and I miss that over here... although that prawn hat would be too hard to miss, n'est-ce pas?
Oh my God! That first hat was the most disturbing thing I've seen in quite a while!
Eccentricity is a wonderful thing - own it and be proud of it. Just don't wear that hat, 'k?
Love,
Bloggus
I was not familiar with Ms. Blow but she appears to have been an interesting character. I hope you resolve whatever has you on a wild merry-go-round.........take care.
The woman in shock about the Pagodahatthing looks just like Linda whatshername from Dynasty. Interesting post.
Anyway, glad to be back!
Hope all works out for you well and soon.
Mwah to you too!
Aleksandra: It is a cool thing, non - Nice to see you Sandra, take care of yourself, dahlink! x
Protege: You always say such truths, dear Z, and from your pic I would not say you were someone who would necessarily seek to conform - Although you are obviously a scientist, you have such a creative nature and soul, my darling... And I have often conformed while at work - Tiny, discreet earrings, rather than Eighties' chandeliers that sort of thing - Now I just don't care and wear what I like to wear mainly... Isabella was a muse to others, and I think capitalised on looks she did not have to always be striking - It's a very interesting way to have been, but I feel terribly sad about her demise - More tomorrow... xox
Chairman Bill: Ah, Sir! You always make me guffaw!
Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff: You are a hoot, my darling! Perhaps it might explain a little about how the English can sometimes be a little outre, a bit 'out there'... Thank you for your lovely wishes - That is very meaningful to me at this point, where I am wondering what to say, and what to do next... You take care of yourself too, my sweetheart, and kiss those 'Steady On' dawgies and kitties for me, please... xox
Derrick: Ah, Derrick, you see, that is why I so seldom plant my errant kisses across your blog, I sensed as much - And there's no harm in that - Some of us are too free with our love, and trust too much, and sometimes that can lead to being hurt...
kapgaf: She was indeed fascinating, and that is what drew me to explore her life and how she lived and ended it here...
And you have such interesting and intriguing choses a dire, ma cherie, toujours... "It is always better to live one day as a lion than one year as a lamb..." C'est si profond, si intelligen... Merci mille, bises tout plein...
Butler and Bagman: I am blushing now, can you tell, Sirs?! x
Michelle: I think you are too, my sweet, same as me! And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, is there?! Have a great week, my bloggy bud! xxooxx
ladyfi: And would you say there are fewer eccentrics in Sweden, dear ladyfi? I read something somewhere, I must admit, about the fact that the hat actually smelled awful, so it must have been a real lobster - Outrageous! x
Bloggus Nuttus: I am sorry to have disturbed your tender sensibilities, dear Bloggus, particularly in your rudely hurt state after the Sweeney Todd of a dentist has seen you! I promise not to wear a lobster when I meet you - I wouldn't want to show you up, gorgeous you! xox
Artist Unplugged: A creative, my dar AU, just like you are, but she probably expressed herself more through her appearance, while your art speaks volumes for you... Thank you for thinking of me on my circus horse, going around the carousel, into the light, into the darkness, and back into the light once more, hopefully soon... I am thinking of you, too, sweetie - Please know that xxooxx
Carolina: That does look very like Linda Evans from Dynasty, you are so right, Caro... She turned up looking younger than that on a reality chef show recently here - Very obviously plastic'd to within an inch of her life, bless her! Good to see you around here once more, dear Carolina, and thank you so! x
Unusual, great blog. I love outrageous fashion, (wouldn't wear anything so wild myself though) and I find eccentric people extremely fascinating.
Isabella Blow was fascinating . . . so sad the way she died.
It is a wonderful thing to honour the rich cultural tradition of eccentricity in this land, especially as most of us are such sheep. (On this subject, I read a hilarious American satire called 'Stuff White People Like -- and it was so tragically true!)
I loved this. I so admire eccentrics, they are brave enough to be who they really are.
I hope that you manage to wade through the treacle and resolve whatever needs resolving. Sending you light. xx
eccentrics are so much fun! She certainly had a sense of style. Oh, to be so mysterious!!
Fhina,
I love these edutainment posts, thank you so much!
How cool are eccentrics and their courage, their flair and flamboyance?! J'adore.
It's good to be back home, and in blogland too. There's a little award for you over at my place. Ciao
What an interesting woman. I always wonder immediately what takes people so young.
Hope you sort yours out.
sorry to hear that life is tripping you up at the moment - I hope it all works out in your favour and that family stuff is not being too terrible. I've got bits of the family I cast aside years ago - life is too short to be tied to people just by blood
Elizabeth Bradley: Welcome, dear Elizabeth, and thank you! Me too! x
Bee: Very much so, chere Bee... I hadn't realised that English Eccentricity was such a cultural difference - Perhaps because most Americans and so on whom we see, mainly on TV, are generally those who are eccentric enough to make it onto British TV, e.g. Ruby Wax... This is so interesting to notice - Thank you for stopping by to enter the conversation... I really appreciate it, Bee! x
Reasons to be Cheerful 1,2,3: Thank you, sweet Jo! Being who we are, ah, how important is that? Thank you for the light you have sent me, I really think it has helped... xox
carma: She did have that charm, that allure, that mystery, to be sure... And you have all your lovely, juggling charm too, ma chere...
Lola: Thank you, dear Lola - It seems to put people off reading a little, when I do go off on the edutainment angle, but I just need to get some things 'out there' into the ether and internet that are of interest of me... Bless you for my sweet, lovely award and your great kindness xox
Woman in a Window: Thank you, dear WiW x
FF: Thank you, FF, in this case, it is my nearest and dearest son that I am concerned about, and so I am in this relationship for life and all that it throws at me/us... I may have started to deal with it, so things may get brighter again soon... je l'espere. x
Just had your site and your series recommended to me by someone who sympathizes (envies?) that I am a Yank married to a Brit who is more than a little eccentric. I'll be following you as you count down more of his ilk.
Lisa Paul, welcome sweetie! I have a number of English Eccentrics to showcase, and I suspect that this series may run and run, however, I shall intersperse it with other ramblings, as I sense from those few who commented that this is not to everyone's taste, my dahlink! Thank you for finding me, I am always grateful for new blood, and my best wishes to your lovely English hubby (I am intrigued by what is regarded as eccentricity), and sweet you!
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